Bourbon Porter | Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant

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On nitro tap at the brewpub in Media, PA.
Pours with a red-brown body that has good clarity and highlights. Creamy tan head and a full coat of sticky lacing.

Lots of bourbon an BBL flavor, partially masking the underlying porter (consumed immediate before the special version). Very good bitter-sweet balance. No sour or other off notes. Compared to the original, this i slightly more sweet, has some vanilla notes, and there is less smoke in the finish and aftertaste.
Medium body and soft carbonation. Much smoother than the original.

16oz glass. Served on Nitro-Tap at Iron Hill Wilmington in Summer '12. Served in a pint glass

A: Pours pitch black. Pretty much no light get through aside from some reddish hues around the top of the glass. Finger of light tan head. It's fluffy for the nitro tap. Sticking around a for almost the whole drink.

S: Immediately I get bourbon. Lots of vanilla and oak. Sort of masks the other porter hints. You do get some chocolate. Also, some of that coconut character.

T: Flavor follows the nose. Lots of bourbon character. It's thin. And the porter characteristics are a little masked. I wish I was getting more coffee and/or chocolate from it like the normal PI porter. As i sip on it, i do get some rich milk chocolate flavors. On the close, you are left with soft vanilla.

M: Medium bodied but thinner than I would like for a beer like this. It's very drinkable especially in the summer.

On nitro-tap at Iron Hill Media. Pours nearly jet black with a creamy off white head of great size and retention. Nitro makes for a beautiful beer and this one is no exception. Nose exhibits roastiness, bittersweet chocolate, prominent boost Bourbon and Vanilla. Hints of coconut.

The flavor sports some heavy duty barrel characteristics; boozy heat, Bourbon flavor, and oak are all discerned. Fans of vanilla will enjoy this one as well as the addition od Madagascar beans make it a central flavor note, not a subtle one. All this takes center stage with the usual chocolate and roasted malt aspects of the Pig Iron Porter playing a supporting role.

This has the smooth mouthfeel of a typical nitro beer; medium bodied with modest carbonation. The nitro treatment tamps down the flavor and aroma much less than expected; the heavy Bourbon barrel prescence and aggressive vanilla flavor pretty much see to that. One might argue that the base beer isn't exactly big enough to support such treatment; I still enjoyed this one as a nightcap following a lit of lighter fare.

From nitro-tap to tasting glass at Iron Hill Newark, DE on 4/14/12
*From notes

A: Rich brownish, like a 60% dark chocolate bar. A creamy, cascading .25 finger head tops the brew. Solid lacing clings to the side of the glass as I drink it.

S: My Dad put his nose in there and said, "Oh my god...did they put coconut in there?" Rich, creamy cocoa, toasted coconut and a bit of dark bourbon make for a wonderfully pleasing bouquet.

T: Lots of bourbon up front, yet it's not overly hot. The vanilla beans really exude themselves on the mid, where it adds a creaminess to what is otherwise a bit of a chocolate bomb. Coconut rounds out the brew. Tasty stuff to be sure.

M: Needs more oomph. I know it's a nitro-tap. I'm also aware that the beer is only packing 5.3% ABV. But come on - gimme some complexity here.

O: Had it not been on nitro, you can bet your sweet ass I'd have gotten a growler of this tasty little number. One of the best low-ABV porters I've come across. Delicious. The nose seals the deal here, and though the feel is underwhelming, it's not detrimental to the overall presentation. Well done, Iron Hill. Easily recommended.

Served on nitro, aged in bourbon barrels with vanilla beans. At Maple Shade's Barrels, Bourbon and Bugs event 2012.

Pours a dark, clear brown with a retentive cream head, nice lace. Rich nose of vanilla and bourbon, mild malt and caramel, dark fruit finish. Sweetness from the treatment overwhelms the Pig Iron Porter. Minimal roast or malt presence in the flavor, bourbon, vanilla bean and chocolate dominate, with a watery finish. Syrupy, medium body with very low carbonation. Lacks the depth of the base porter, but if you like bourbon and vanilla I guess this might work for you.